Mary Jane Hurt Littlejohn

Just shy of her 97th birthday, Mary Jane was born April 27, 1928, in Lynchburg, VA, the fourth and youngest daughter of the late Eunice Watkins and Reuel Jay Hurt. The family moved to Charlotte in 1932 and attended Myers Park United Methodist Church. Mary Jane graduated from Central High School class of 1946 and then Salem College class of 1950 with a Bachelor of Music degree. An early dream was to be a concert organist. She taught some in public schools but found her greatest creative joy in giving private piano lessons to young people as well as some adults. She loved music and sang in many church choirs.

Married to James Donald Littlejohn for 56 years until his passing in 2006, the family lived many places due to Jim’s work promotions and transfers. In July 2005 Mary Jane and Jim relocated from Birmingham AL to Charlotte, to the Aldersgate Retirement Community, where Mary Jane thrived in her retirement years filled with exciting activities, many wonderful friends, dear neighbors and a tirelessly devoted staff.

Mary Jane is survived by her daughters Mary Martha Littlejohn, West Hartford CT and Ann Louise Littlejohn, Atlanta GA, son Jay Asbury Littlejohn and wife Michelle, Iron Station NC, grandchildren Andrew (wife Chin), Hunter, Ashley and Sean, and great grandchildren Niyah, Noah, Malaki and Rashad; sister Rose Marie Herrmann, brother-in-law William Asbury Littlejohn, and an extended and beloved family of nieces, nephews, cousins, former neighbors and dear friends.

Mary Jane loved when family or friends would come to visit her at Aldersgate, to share a meal or borrow her golf cart to fish at the campus pond. She stayed connected to several close Charlotte friends she had made in kindergarten and early grammar school. She loved her Central High and Salem reunions almost as much as family reunions, when she would travel back to Cedar Bluff, in SW Virginia, where her ancestral lineage is rooted.

Her priority was always devotion to her family.

There will be a Celebration of Life service at the Aldersgate Fellowship Hall, Charlotte, on Tuesday, April 22nd at 1:30 p.m. Interment will be at Arlington Memorial Park, Atlanta at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Aldersgate Guardian Angel Fund, 3800 Shamrock Dr, Charlotte NC 28215 or the Myers Park United Methodist Church, 1501 Queens Rd, Charlotte, NC 28207, or the charity of your choice.